Curable film-forming compositions (coatings) have been used in automotive and other industrial manufacturing for decades. Curable compositions (as opposed to lacquers) offer better protection to substrates because of their abilities to resist damage by solvents, acids, and other chemicals, and effects of weathering. Depending on the cure chemistry, some compositions are curable at ambient temperature; others require heating to effect cure.
A variety of curing agents having different types of functional groups (and hence different chemistries) may be utilized in curable film-forming compositions. Examples of curing agents which are suitable for use in compositions that are curable at ambient temperatures include, inter alia, polyanhydrides, polyisocyanates, and polyepoxides. Each type of curing agent contains different chemical functional groups, providing unique properties to a cured composition.
Coating compositions having superior durability, hardness, chemical resistance, and similar properties are sought after in virtually all industries that use coatings.
It would be desirable to provide compositions that may be cured at ambient or higher temperatures with a variety of curing agents, providing film-forming compositions that exhibit excellent properties.